Leafhopper from Costa Rica: Bocydium species

bugman

June 14th, 2006 at 12:00 am

Categories

Aphids, Scale Insects, Leafhoppers, and Tree Hoppers

Costa Rica leafhopper with a hood ornament
Hello Bugman,
It doesn’t look like youv’e received this one before. It is very small, perhaps 4-5 mm, on the underside of a leaf in the rainforest understory along the Quebrada Gonzales trail at Braulio Carrillo National Park. The date was 9 April 2006. Maybe Eric Eaton will recognize it (I haven’t sent it to him), but even if we can’t find a name for it, I thought it would be a nice addition to your image database. Any idea what that hood ornament is for? Communication?
All the Best,
Rich Hoyer
Tucson, AZ

Hi Rich,
We don’t know what this guy is, but it is amazing. Hopefully, someone will write in with an identification.

Update (06/19/2006) Costa Rican Hopper
Hi. I have been obsessed with the bizarre ornamentation of the leafhopper from Costa Rica, and through diligent internetting, I think I have finally found the genus. Bocydium has about 15 species, although most references are to the “Bell-bearer” of Brazil. All the pictures I could find of the genus were very similar in shape, and the pronotum is very distinctive. Check out this site, http://www.entomology.umn.edu/cues/4015/morpology/ you’ll see what I mean.
Thanks Daniel and Lisa for helping destroy any productivity I may have had with your terrific site, keep up the good work!
Bev Donnelly
Winnipeg, MB

Hi Bev,
You are our new hero. We are bestowing the newly conceived Bugophile of the Month Award on you. We can empathize with your situation as we spend hours on the website that might be spent cleaning the house.